SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 17: San Jose Sharks’ Timo Meier (28) is congratulated by teammates, together with San Jose Sharks’ Brent Burns (88), San Jose Sharks’ Erik Karlsson (65) and San Jose Sharks’ Tomas Hertl (48), after scoring a purpose, his first of the sport, towards the Los Angeles Kings within the first interval on the SAP Heart in San Jose, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 17, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Space Information Group)
SAN JOSE — The Sharks have possibly shocked some individuals by the way in which they’ve stayed in rivalry for a playoff spot by way of the primary half of the season.
Now that they’ve put themselves on this place, the Sharks really feel they’re completely able to ending the job.
Though each crew proper behind them within the standings has a number of video games in hand, the Sharks (21-17-2) enter Wednesday because the Western Convention’s second wild-card crew and in fourth place within the Pacific Division. By 40 video games, they’ve already matched their win whole from final yr’s truncated 56-game season, regardless of distancing themselves from former main scorer Evander Kane and being the NHL’s runaway chief in video games performed by rookies.
“It’s our time to make some hay in our division and our convention as a result of there are groups with video games in hand on us,” Sharks coach Bob Boughner stated Monday morning. “Some groups are going the fallacious approach and we’re battling to remain the place we’re at, however we simply acquired to care for our enterprise.”
Right here’s a midseason report card, damaged down by place.
CENTERS
HEAD OF THE CLASS: Tomas Hertl, Logan Couture.
KEEPING UP: Nick Bonino.
NEEDS IMPROVEMENT: Jasper Weatherby.
INCOMPLETE GRADES: Nick Merkley, Scott Reedy.
ANALYSIS: Hertl leads all forwards in time on ice and faceoffs, and is tied for the crew lead with 20 objectives. He’s set to earn some huge cash for a few years to return, both in San Jose or elsewhere. Couture’s 30 factors to date is only one level shy of his whole from final season and it seems he’s by no means been extra comfy because the Sharks captain than proper now.
Bonino solely has seven factors in 38 video games however his worth has come on protection as solely 35 p.c of his begins have come within the offensive zone. Weatherby has had an up and down rookie season with seven factors in 36 video games and is likely to be hitting a wall. Do the Sharks maybe search for a veteran depth centerman earlier than the commerce deadline in the event that they wish to make a playoff push?
The Sharks are tenth within the NHL in crew faceoff proportion (51.5).
OVERALL GRADE: B+. 
WINGERS
HEAD OF THE CLASS: Timo Meier, Alexander Barabanov.
KEEPING UP: Rudolfs Balcers, Andrew Cogliano, Jeffrey Viel.
NEEDS IMPROVEMENT: Jonathan Dahlen, Noah Gregor, Jonah Gadjovich, Kevin Labanc, Lane Pederson.
INCOMPLETE GRADES: John Leonard, Jayden Halbgewachs, Adam Raska.
ANALYSIS: Meier’s been the Sharks’ MVP to date with 20 objectives and a team-high 45 factors in 40 video games, a significant bounce again after he had 31 factors in 54 video games final season. Barabanov, on a $1 million contract, has 20 factors in 32 video games. Balcers missed 13 video games with a lower-body harm however stays a gradual and dependable middle-six ahead, and Cogliano’s management, work ethic and reliability have been welcome additions to a crew that had needed to play a bunch of rookies.
Dahlen began quick however has simply two assists in his final 12 video games – not sufficient for a participant getting top-six minutes. He, Nieto and Gregor all want so as to add some offense if the Sharks going to common greater than their present 2.78 objectives per sport, which ranks twenty second within the NHL. Labanc had six factors in 21 video games and was within the doghouse earlier than he suffered a shoulder harm final month that required surgical procedure. He's anticipated to return in March. Pederson simply hasn’t been noticeable sufficient.
The Sharks have numerous good two-way wingers, however past Meier and Barabanov, lack the high-end talent different playoff-contending groups have.
OVERALL GRADE: B-
DEFENSEMEN
HEAD OF THE CLASS: Brent Burns, Mario Ferraro, Erik Karlsson.
KEEPING UP: Jaycob Megna, Ryan Merkley. Jake Middleton.
NEEDS IMPROVEMENT: Nicolas Meloche, Radim Simek, Marc-Edouard Vlasic.
INCOMPLETE GRADES: Santeri Hatakka, Artemi Kniazev.
ANALYSIS: Burns went by way of a three-week offensive dry spell two months in the past. However he nonetheless leads all Sharks defensemen, and was tenth amongst all NHL blueliners earlier than Wednesday, with 27 factors in 40 video games and all of San Jose’s skaters in common time on ice (25:56). Ferraro has taken on a management position this season and his absence was felt earlier this month when he landed in COVID protocol. No protection pair within the NHL spends extra time on the ice as Ferraro and Burns.
Karlsson has 26 factors in 32 video games, already eclipsing his 22-point whole of final season. Having higher expertise round him has helped, however his skating and playmaking skill have been extra on show. He’s additionally been an enormous assist to protection companions Middleton and now Megna. Middleton stuffed the void after Nikolai Knyzhov’s harm, averaging over 18 minutes of ice time per sport and Megna has been regular since Middleton’s Jan. 4 concussion.
General, the Sharks have allowed a median of three.00 objectives in 40 video games, down from 3.50 in 56 video games final season.
Simek has proven indicators of the participant he was previous to his main knee surgical procedure, but it surely has taken some time and he’s been a wholesome scratch in current video games. Vlasic’s ice time has been additional lowered this season and he was a wholesome scratch earlier this month. Not perfect for the third highest-paid defenseman on the crew. He’s been efficient at occasions, however extra consistency is required.
OVERALL GRADE: B. 
GOALIES
TOP OF THE CLASS: James Reimer.
NEEDS IMPROVEMENT: Adin Hill.
INCOMPLETE GRADE: Zach Sawchenko.
ANALYSIS: Reimer was simply one of many NHL’s finest goalies for the primary two months of the season. Sure, it’s wonderful what high quality goaltending can do for a crew. He had a downturn proper after Christmas attributable to a lower-body harm however enters Wednesday with a 12-7-1 report and a .918 save proportion. Hill wasn’t constant by way of the primary two months however appears to have turned a nook along with his current play. Nonetheless offers up the occasional smooth purpose, however even a .906 save proportion is best than what the Sharks have been getting final season.
The Sharks’ crew save proportion (.903) and goals-against common (2.98) as of Wednesday morning ranked 18th and nineteenth within the NHL, respectively.
OVERALL GRADE: B-
COACHING
Boughner has been given a greater crew to work with this season, however the Sharks stay the NHL chief in video games performed by rookies (206). Boughner and his workers deserve credit score for serving to Meier turn into a extra full participant, for implementing a system that’s reflective of the crew’s personnel and for getting buy-in towards a sure identification. Gamers, for essentially the most half, have been put in positions the place they'll succeed. This crew performs laborious for one another and the teaching workers deserves kudos for that. All that stated, the Sharks’ penalty kill has dropped off a bit and the facility play stays under common. Grade: (B).